Back to Search
Start Over
Are there inequities in the utilisation of childhood eye-care services in relation to socio-economic status? Evidence from the ALSPAC cohort.
- Source :
-
British Journal of Ophthalmology . Jul2008, Vol. 92 Issue 7, p965-969. 5p. 3 Charts. - Publication Year :
- 2008
-
Abstract
- Background: Equity of access to eye care in childhood remains poorly researched, and most studies report data on utilisation without any objective measure of clinical need. Participants/method: 8271 participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a longitudinal birth cohort, were seen at age 7, when they underwent a comprehensive eye examination and details of family history of eye conditions, vision problems and contact with eye-care services were obtained. Results: 2931 (35.4%) children had been in contact with an eye-care specialist, and 1452 (17.6%) had received vision screening. Compared with social class I, the prevalence of eye conditions was higher in the lower groups (social class IIIM, IV, V) (OR 1.69, 95% Cl 1.15 to 2.46). However, children from lower socio-economic status groups were less likely to see an eye-care specialist (OR 0.83, 95% Cl 0.70 to 1.00) or to use screening services (OR 0.65, 95% Cl 0.43 to 0.98). Discussion/conclusion: The differences in the trends between socio-economic groups in eye conditions and utilisation of services suggest inequitable access to services. These data highlight the limitations of community-based preschool vision screening, which fails to abolish this inequity. It is important that future research explores the reasons behind these patterns. Compulsory school-entry vision screening, as recommended by the National Screening Committee and the Hall Report may redress this differential uptake of services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *EYE care
*CHILD care
*PARENT-child relationships
*MEDICAL screening
*OPHTHALMOLOGY
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00071161
- Volume :
- 92
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- British Journal of Ophthalmology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33412225
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.2007.134841